The Cursed King

Chapter 277  Dante And Loriel

Raphael could easily guess where Elise was now. Based on the description of the woman called beautiful enough to be a goddess, the direction that Elise once headed to find Raphael in the past… the God of Healing didn't need to be Dimitri to form a conclusion.

"I believe Elise may have gone to Cretea if my sources are accurate," The handsome man said casually.

Loriel's eyes filled with hope and he quickly asked. "Where is this Cretea place? Please tell me how to get there and I'll find my wife. I will kneel and prostrate in front of her, amends for my sins, and then bring her back."

Raphael frowned. "Cretea is the mountain of the gods, a mortal like you is not worthy of knowing where it is."

"Please, I need to see Elise."

***

There were actually a couple of things that Elise requested from Dante once she finished drinking the immortality potion. The first was to send a message to her father and grandmother in Myreen about the situation.

"Are you leaving Cretea?" Elise asked Dante in surprise.

Dante nodded briefly. "I still need to collect the water from the river of forgetfulness and it isn't actually too far away from Cretea. However, is there anything that you desire, Elise? I can travel back to the human world to obtain it."

"Well…" Elise hesitated and held her stomach.

"Anything that you love? Specific tea? Your favorite food from the human world? Well-loved books?" If Elise wanted anything, Dante would bring it to her so she could be happy.

He wasn't able to fully get to know Elise because of how briefly the two of them spent time together, even after he was saved by her. So, Dante actually wanted to know what she liked.

He wanted her to be happy. He knew it was wrong that she would forget everything, but at least Elise would be able to have the things that she wanted. If Dante was going to pretend that they were married, he actually had to know things about her.

"Could you please visit Myreen and explain the situation to my family?" Elise asked him. "They did not know that I ran away from my husband so I don't want them to worry about me."

"Of course, I can definitely do that." Dante smiled gently at her. He knew that the Leoraleis were a powerful family, so he needed to ensure that none of them considered climbing up Cretea to see Elise.

That would unravel everything to Elise and to them because she wouldn't remember them at all while they would know who she was.

Well, Dante could always say that Elise accepted to drink the water from the river of forgetfulness and they would probably accept it too. Elise's family probably knew how her husband was so terrible, so that was actually believable.

After their conversation, Dante departed for the river and Myreen. It was there that he would encounter Loriel along the way to the kingdom.

***

When Loriel heard the story about the Time Master and Elise, everything started to fall into place in his mind. The memory where he once was kidnapped as a child returned to him and the face of the 'fairy' appeared in his mind.

So did the man that was 'accompanying' the 'fairy' back then.

Loriel cursed himself and could easily tell that the Time God back then already had his eyes on Elise and it infuriated him. More than that, Loriel wanted to see Elise and ensure that she was not deceived by the god.

So it was while he was atop his dragon when he saw a figure in the sky.

The Time God looked like he was teleporting in the air or he was flashing forward, with flickers of his image behind him. However, Dante suddenly came to a halt when he saw Loriel on the dragon.

Even though it was so long and Loriel was so thin and weak as a child, while now he was a big and strong man, Dante instantly recognized him. "You are the king of Summeria, Loriel Ashborn."

"Bring back my wife if you do not wish to regret this." Loriel instantly shouted at him and he would have taken out his sword except for the fact that they were in the air. Instantly, Loriel tried thinking of ways to take the god down.

Dante couldn't help but suddenly laugh. His laughter echoed in the air and he wiped his tears. "Are you serious? It's incredibly hilarious that you are saying that when Elise herself does not wish to see you."

Loriel's expression flickered before his gaze hardened into a steady resolution. "Even if that were to be true… I still need to see my wife. She is pregnant with my child and I have come to ask for her forgiveness."

Dante narrowed his eyes. "It's too late and, in Elise's honor, I believe I have the right to punish you."

Without another word, Dante flicked a hand at Loriel's dragon and suddenly the creature's wings became frail and even brittle.

Before Loriel even knew what happened next, the man was back on the ground and his entire body was screaming in pain as Dante landed and looked at him blankly. The Time Master looked at the dragon and flicked another hand.

This time, the dragon's strength was restored and it immediately hissed at Dante and was wary. Dante paid no heed to it and stared at the man that actually received Elise's love but now lost it.

This Loriel, king of Summeria, really didn't deserve any of Elise's love. Instead, an idea appeared in the Time God's mind and Dante's lips curled into a smile.

"Do you want to see your wife again?" Dante asked.

Loriel glared at him. "Yes, screw you! I'll do anything to see her again. If you break my back, I'll get up again. If you break my legs, I will crawl all the way just to Cretea and do everything… just to see Elise again. I'd do anything."

"Well, you'll never see her again," Dante crisply said. "And do you know why?"

Loriel inwardly knew that Dante had a point, that maybe Elise really did hate his guts that she refused to see him and instead sent the Time God to punish him. However, Loriel couldn't help himself.

He wanted to see Elise again.

The pain that Loriel inflicted was immeasurable and Elise had every right to despise him and perhaps choose to stay away from him. However, Loriel was also selfish and wanted to ask for He wanted to be accepted by Elise again and to see her smile at him one more time.

forgiveness.

Even until now, Loriel was still a selfish man.

"Elise hated you so much that she begged me to take her so far away from you that it'd be impossible for you to meet her again." Dante smiled wickedly. "Where she went, you can never go."

"No way! I will find her, even if I have to go to the end of the world," Loriel said. "Tell me where she is now."

Dante's smile was increasing wicked and wide. "Do you know what I am capable of? I am the Time Master. The farthest distance in the world is not separated by miles… but by time."

Loriel suddenly felt his heart sink. Did… did the Time Master do something… to Elise?

"Where. Is. My. Wife. Now?" Loriel gritted his teeth and repeated his question. "TELL ME!!!!"

Dante looked at Loriel straight in the eye and replied coldly, "Elise went to the future."